Kiss Me Goodbye
by CrazedConfusion
Summary: It started as just a game, but now there is so much more at stake. Secrets are revealed, lines are crossed, and maybe it isn't life that's scary, but the things in it. If they want to survive, they will have no choice but to rely on the very people they swore never to trust again. Most chapters rated T-M for minor/major adult themes/suggestions, including rape. You've been warned.


_**Kiss Me Goodbye**_

_Prologue_

"Don't touch her!" Shadow threw himself in front of Cream, who was collapsed on the floor among the rubble.

"And what is she to you, Shadow?" Robotnik snarled.

"An asset," Shadow bluffed. "Bait. Sonic will come for her, I know it!"

"Bah! And what is Sonic when I have you on my side and that girl dead? He will come anyway, no doubt," Robotnik said. "Besides, Sonic cares nothing for the girl. He does not know her true power!"

"He cares for something greater than her power!" Shadow yelled.

"Are you no longer an ally, Shadow?" Robotnik asked. He took a step forward, intending to scare him off, but the hedgehog stood his ground.

"Stand down, Ivo," a deep, haunting voice echoed through the ruined hall, which had once been marvelous, but now lay in ruins.

Shadow trembled, his eyes widening, but Robotnik took no notice.

"And just who do you think you are?" Robotnik yelled at the room in general.

"I am Mephiles the Dark," the voice answered, and a slightly surreal being came into place on the opposite side of the room. He was there, yet not quite there. Even with a physical shape he seemed to be all around them, surrounding them, pressing in on them.

He began to walk forward, as if he had all the time in the world.

"Hello, Shadow," Mephiles said, a glint appearing in his eyes that wasn't there before. "I see this time, I was remembered."

"What? What are you talking about? Have you met before? Shadow?" Robotnik was spitting questions rapid-fire, and Shadow couldn't even think. His vision was blurry, and with Mephiles watching, he couldn't speak. The words simply lodged themselves in his throat, clogging it so he couldn't breathe.

"Down, Shadow," Mephiles said. Shadow slowly lowered himself to his knees, dropping his eyes to the floor. "Thank you. You are dismissed, Robotnik."

"Dismiss- What? You can't dismiss me!"

"Of course I can." Mephiles spun a ball of pulsating light, which spun above his hand, waiting for a target. Mephiles hurled it at Robotnik, who scuttled out of the way just in time. He hurried out of the room, not glancing back once, and therefore entirely missing the fact that his shirt was on fire.

"As you can see, Shadow, I've grown a tad more powerful along the way. Do try not to anger me."

Shadow trembled, a soft whimper escaping his lips.

"Scared, Shadow?"

He shook his head.

"Don't lie to me. You know I hate it when you lie to me," Mephiles said. His voice had taken on a crooning tone to it.

"I-"

"Oh, Shadow, tell me all about how lost you've been without your Mephiles to keep you organized. Oh, what a shame."

Just then four creatures burst in to find Shadow on his knees, with some stranger standing next to him, his finger tilting his chin up, and (strangest of all) Shadow was scared.

"Hey!" Sonic yelled. Mephiles' head turned to him, and Shadow's ears twitched.

"Oh, Shadow," Mephiles crooned, "Your little friends have come to save you! How sweet."

"Step away from him!" Tails yelled. Mephiles straightened.

"Mm, so brave for an eight year old, aren't you?"

"I-"

"Hm, Shadow, please get rid of the girl."

Shadow jumped a little, as if he hadn't known Mephiles had seen Cream. Or perhaps it was at being addressed again. He stood and scooped Cream into his arms, darting into one of the side rooms.

"And then come back, Shadow!" Mephiles called after him. Sonic stared after Shadow, stunned by what he had just seen.

"And you, Sonic," Mephiles turned to the blue hedgehog. "You believe yourself a worthy opponent?"

"I-"

Shadow reappeared at Mephiles' side, his eyes beckoning his friends forward. Almost instinctively, Sonic took a step forward, then caught himself.

"Come, then, and see what your friend has become," Mephiles said. "Kneel, Shadow."

Shadow dropped to his knees, begging his friends to step forward. This time, Sonic did. He fell forward several steps, tripping over himself and finally falling next to Shadow. He looked up and caught Shadow's gaze.

"What happened to you?" he whispered. "Working for this guy? Really? That's low, even for you, Shadow."

"No," Shadow whispered back. "No, Sonic, you don't understand, he-"

Mephiles grabbed Shadow by the scruff of the neck, causing him to yelp in surprise and pain.

"Don't do this, Shadow," Mephiles whispered. "Their fragile little minds couldn't handle what you've seen."

Shadow was whimpering again, shaking from head to toe. Mephiles tossed him aside as if he were a rag doll. He hit the wall and slid to the ground, wrapping his arms around his knees and bowing his head.

_Knuckles! _Sonic desperately pushed the thought at the echidna, using his limited knowledge of the ancient language. _Knuckles, distract Mephiles! We need him out of the way!_

Knuckles nodded, then threw himself at Mephiles, who simply dissolved into smoke. The echidna rolled right through and on to the ground.

Sonic touched Silver's arm.

"Take Cream and Tails and beat the hell outta here," he whispered. Silver offered no acknowledgement, but gripped Tails' arm and slipped into the shadows.

By this time, Shadow was already imprisoned in a giant bubble of sorts.

Sonic gazed around for a moment. Knuckles had efficiently caught Mephiles' attention, and Silver and Tails were nowhere to be found. Sonic could only hope that meant they'd gotten away.

He leaped forward, trying to pop the bubble, but it kept floating just out of his reach.

Shadow's yells were becoming more frantic, his eyes filled with fear and panic.

"What is it? Shadow, can you hear me?" Sonic shouted. He lunged forward, and his fingers just barely brushed the bubble. It began to shrink, until it was about as tall as Shadow would be, if he was standing. The dark hedgehog screamed, pressing his hands against the sides of his prison.

Sonic was, at this point, terrified. He had never seen Shadow like this, cornered and scared. The hedgehog in question was beginning to hyperventilate. His eyes, searching for some escape, found Sonic's. The cobalt hedgehog tapped his wrist, and Shadow stared down at the golden cuffs on his own. He trembled, but carefully slid them off. Instantly, a loud explosion came, and Sonic shielded himself. The dust cleared almost instantly to reveal a dark silhouette in the midst of it all.

Sonic ran toward Shadow, pulling him in for a tentative hug. As soon as his arms were around the boy's neck, he knelt to the ground. He pulled Shadow into his lap, and it was only then that Sonic realized just how small the black hedgehog was, compared to him.

"Sh, Shadow," Sonic whispered into the top of his head. "Everything will be okay, I promise."

Shadow hiccuped, burying his head into Sonic's chest.

"You- you don't - understand," he choked out between sobs and hiccups. "He's- mo-more powerful than ever!"

"What are you-" A loud bang cut Sonic off, and he jerked his head around to the source of the noise, careful not to disturb Shadow.

It didn't take long to find the source of the noise. Across the room, Knuckles stood backed against the wall, with a dead body at his feet. Ten yards off was Silver, standing still with a gun still aimed where Mephiles was.

"Why-Why would that work?" He whispered, dropping the gun. It fell to the floor with a clatter.

Knuckles stepped away from the wall, gazing around and dodging Mephiles' body. He spotted Silver first, shaking himself out of his daze and running to him. They spoke, exchanging words Sonic couldn't hear. Then Knuckles ran to Sonic, kneeling down to the ground.

"Is-is he okay?" He asked, tilting his head towards Shadow.

"I don't know. We've got to get them out of here, though. They both look like they're about to have a mental breakdown. Where're the other two?"

"Silver said he got them outside, at the edge of the forest. We have to go get them."

"Great. Can you get Silver?"

Knuckles nodded, and walked away. Sonic carefully sat Shadow up, only to have him promptly fall back into Sonic's arms again.

"Okay then," Sonic muttered to himself. To Shadow he said, "Shadow, we're gonna get you out of here, okay? Can you stand?"

Shadow hiccuped again, drying his eyes. He shook his head balefully, his quills nodding back and forth.

"Why not?"

His eyes flickered to his leg and back to Sonic again.

"May I look?"

He nodded, his eyes widening a little. Sonic carefully pulled off the shoe, ignoring Shadow's wince. He pressed his fingers around the ankle in several spots, careful to stop when the smaller boy winced.

"I think you sprained your ankle, Shadow," Sonic said. "Can I carry you out?"

Shadow nodded slowly, watching Sonic warily. The blue hedgehog carefully scooped Shadow up bridal-style, carrying him out the door to meet the others.


End file.
